Table Of Content
- The best curlers for short hair—chosen by our beauty team
- Best Curling Iron for Travel: Kipozi 2 in 1 Straightener and Curling Iron
- Temperature Range
- The 11 Best Curling Irons for Short Hair of 2024
- Adjustable Heat
- What’s better, a curling wand or tongs?
- Invisibobble Heatless Curling Set
- What size curling iron is best for short hair?

So, we put upwards of 20 options to the test in our own homes several times over two weeks to figure out which ones are worth spending your money on. After trying them out ourselves, we enlisted the help of professional hairstylists to evaluate each heatless curler based on its ease of use, curl shape, comfort level while sleeping, and overall value. We also love the protective cool tip that allows for more control when curling—this is extremely useful for styling short hair.
Best automatic hair curlers 2024: Perfect waves in super-quick time - Expert Reviews
Best automatic hair curlers 2024: Perfect waves in super-quick time.
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The best curlers for short hair—chosen by our beauty team
Shoppers obsess over ‘best hair curler on the market’ - Body+Soul
Shoppers obsess over ‘best hair curler on the market’.
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They're made of sponge and velvet, an absorbent duo that's comfortable enough t sleep in. Plus, they have built-in velcro straps that keep everything in place — no clips necessary. Every set comes with eight curlers and you can choose from blue or pink. Many people think that the higher you go in temperature, the more effective the curling iron will be. For fine to medium hair or heavily damaged hair, lower settings are actually more effective.
Best Curling Iron for Travel: Kipozi 2 in 1 Straightener and Curling Iron
At Beauty Mag, all of our writers are passionate about skincare, makeup, haircare, and beauty. From lipstick experts to those who know everything about Korean face masks or how to tame frizzy locks, we’re here for all your beauty and style needs. No matter what your style is, we’ve got the tips, tricks, reviews, and tutorials to help you shine. The way you wrap your hair around the wand will influence the way the look comes out. If you want those classic glamourous ringlets, wrap the entire lock from top to bottom around the iron. So, for fine or thin hair, go for a “low and slow” technique to ensure longer lasting curls and less long-term damage to your hair.
Temperature Range
If you love the look of bouncy curls, the best automatic hair curlers for short hair have a maximum barrel size of 1 inch, so you can easily create curls in hair that falls above your shoulders. Plus, they can do it with less effort than traditional curling irons. With several styles to choose from and a bunch of cool features, there are curl-creating tools to help you achieve your desired look.
You'll be able to cut the time you'd usually spend styling your hair with an iron or blow dryer in half, and you'll be eliminating the risk of damage, too. Another bonus is the money you'll save — hair rollers are infinitely less expensive than hot tools. They're also easier to pack and travel with, as they don't require any cords or electricity. "Rollers are a great option whether you're trying to get beach waves or more defined coils," says Anthony Dickey, hairstylist and founder of the Hair Rules salon and brand. With these automatic hair curlers for short hair, you style your bobs in new, exciting ways.
With a maximum temperature of 420°, this is one of the few automatic curling irons that is actually hot enough for thicker, coarser hair. Meanwhile, the low setting is safe and effective for fine to average density hair. You should also avoid curling irons that max out at too high a temperature because even the best irons will fluctuate in temperature a little throughout the styling process.
What’s better, a curling wand or tongs?
It comes with a chamber cleaning tool that helps you to remove ant dust, strands, buildups, products, etc. that might have been stuck to the device after usage. $600 is a lot to shell out for a hair tool, but if that is in your budget, this may be the last hair tool you ever buy. Unlike some of the hair tools in your arsenal (we see you blowdryer), Dyson employs Coanda airflow instead of heat to style hair, resulting in less damage and less breakage. Complete with six attachments (from a dryer to curling wands), this all-in-one dryer, curler, and blowout master offers any and every style. Whether you've had short hair your whole life or just went for the chop, finding a curling iron that works for your cut always poses a challenge. With less length to work with, you need to pay extra attention to the details, like temperature and rod shape.
One tester brought this heatless curler on a trip in a carry-on and loved how compact it was when folded up. It took up as much space as a pair of socks and garnered results that rivaled a hot tool. She mentioned she got tons of compliments on her curls, even after a day-long wine-tasting adventure. Once the hair is wrapped, you secure the ribbon at the top of your head. "If you have fine hair that doesn’t hold a curl and you just want a little texture, a flat iron wave is perfect for you," notes Vaccaro.
What size curling iron is best for short hair?
If you have thick or coarse hair, titanium is the material that will be able to get hot enough to actually achieve the look you’re trying to go for. Curling irons come in a wide range of different sizes, from as narrow as 0.3” to as wide as 2”. You may have heard the rule of larger barrel sizes meaning looser curls.
GHD is a reputable brand that receives high consumer marks with this versatile curling wand. Those with short hair attest that it can create tight curls if you wrap the hair around near the tip and looser, larger curls by wrapping hair around the bottom of the barrel. Hot rollers are like regular hair rollers, except they heat up to provide faster, longer-lasting results. The technology isn't anything new—it's been around for nearly 100 years. And while the process might look like something from a 1960s sleepover, it remains one of the best ways to achieve voluminous curls, coils, and waves. The kits can look intimidating, but compared to their unheated counterparts, hot rollers are pretty user-friendly and efficient.
When it comes to getting curls—which typically require heat to hold them—there are several alternatives to try. One method is using a heatless curling headband; one may also opt for a heatless curling set, heatless curlers, or wave formers. For a more affordable option, allow us to introduce you to the Lilysilk iteration of the heatless curler. It’s similar to the Silke London model in that it’s a long, silk-covered rod that the hair is supposed to be wrapped around. The only difference is that it’s slightly more inexpensive and doesn’t come with the bells and whistles (aka clips that position hair in place), which you’ll have to get yourself. It was easy to put on, but if you aren’t sure, we recommend checking out the brand’s website, which has a full-fledged tutorial on how to use it properly.
Combine that with the ceramic material and you have something that’s ideal for all hair lengths and densities. The ceramic will help prevent frizz and breakage while the size offers a variety of styling options. Later on in this guide, you’ll find a quick overview of the most popular types. There are many different types of curling irons from the classic conical wand to the automatic curler.

To boost staying power, finish your ‘do with one of the best hair styling products such as hairspray or texture spray. A conical wand features a long barrel that starts out wider at the base and gradually gets narrower as you reach the tip. If you want tighter curls, wrap your hair around the narrowest part only. If you want to create an interesting, multidimensional look, wrap your hair along the entire length of the wand. When you’re looking for an all-purpose, on-the-go hot tool, the 1” barrel size is the best size you can pick. It’s the most versatile size since it can achieve elegant styles on any length of hair, even if the exact style you get will differ based on hair length.
This curling iron includes an auto-shutoff feature and comes with a heat-protective glove. These are great features for personal use, allowing you to style your hair and leave the house worry-free. The curl secret model features an automatic curler and a beep alert when the hair is ready to be released. This makes it the most beginner-friendly and convenient design on the market. All you have to do is separate a 1” lock from the rest of your hair and let the curling iron do the rest. The base provided for the interchangeable wands features nine different preset heat settings ranging from 250° to 410°.
Both can yield the same results, so it's truly just a matter of preference of what you like to use more. We found it extremely easy to use—simply wrap a small section of hair around the barrel and hold it in place for a few seconds (note that the barrel features a cool tip) before releasing. Following Collier’s advice above, we found that alternating directions led to a more natural-looking, tousled finish. Tresemmé's tried-and-true Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray helps prevent damage from heat styling tools, which is especially important for color-treated hair. While “low and slow” is better than high and fast, you also don’t want to overdo it.